Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior has announced that individuals who help others perform Hajj without an official permit may face fines of up to 100,000 Saudi riyals. The regulation primarily targets those who request visit visas, such as for tourism, family, or business purposes, for individuals who then attempt to perform the Hajj illegally.
The penalties apply to unauthorized access or attempts to stay in Mecca and other sacred sites from the 1st of Dhul Qa’dah to the 14th of Dhul-Hijjah. Fines will increase depending on the number of individuals involved in the violation.
In a recent enforcement action, 12 people—seven expatriates and five Saudi nationals—were arrested for transporting 33 unauthorized pilgrims to Mecca without valid Hajj permits. Seasonal administrative committees handed down penalties that include prison sentences, fines of up to SR100,000, public naming of violators, deportation for foreign nationals, and a 10-year re-entry ban for deported individuals.
Additionally, individuals caught attempting to perform Hajj without a permit may face separate fines of up to SR20,000.
The ministry reiterated that all visit visa holders are strictly prohibited from undertaking the Hajj pilgrimage. Violators face deportation and long-term bans on re-entry into the Kingdom.
To protect the safety and sanctity of Hajj, authorities urged the public to report violations by calling 911 in Mecca, Medina, Riyadh, and the Eastern Province, or 999 in other regions.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has deployed advanced technologies, including drones, to enhance its efforts to identify irregular pilgrims ahead of this year’s Hajj pilgrimage.
The Kingdom’s General Directorate of Public Security released a video showing a drone equipped with a high-resolution camera monitoring violators and vehicles attempting to transport unauthorized pilgrims without the required official permits.
Saudi security authorities are conducting a relentless crackdown on illegal pilgrims and their facilitators as part of the high-profile campaign titled “No Hajj Without a Permit.”
